The Joliet City Council has adopted a comprehensive blueprint aimed at revitalizing the area surrounding the Joliet Gateway Transportation Center downtown.

The Downtown Joliet Equitable Transit-Oriented Development (ETOD) plan outlines a strategic vision to enhance development opportunities in the surrounding neighborhood, while encouraging a vibrant, welcoming, and active downtown, according to Jayne Bernhard, planning director. She has led the initiative over the past year that aligns with the city’s comprehensive plan currently in development.

“Adoption of this plan by the council means the city is committed to implementing 73recommended actions, including a much-needed update to the zoning ordinance to enable the types of development envisioned by the plan,” said Bernhard. “For example, one of the higher priority actions is to update zoning to allow for multi-family and mixed-use development right in the downtown, particularly near the train station.”

Another concept, according to Bernhard, recommends working with owners of buildings with underutilized or vacant space to understand owner interest and potential financial, regulatory, and procedural barriers to redevelopment.”

Mayor Terry D’Arcy underscored the importance of attracting more residents to the downtown area to help fuel local economic growth.

“If we have more people living downtown and in surrounding neighborhoods, it supports existing businesses and creates opportunities for new ones in the heart of the city,” D’Arcy said.

The mayor admits the plan is a first step to seeing a bustling downtown.

“This study was well done, and we are seeing re-urbanization of downtowns, like in Lemont,” said D’Arcy. “This will take a lot of work. We need to look at rezoning.”

Councilwoman-at-large Jan Quillman, who voted against the plan along with Larry Hug, said she needs to know more about the transportation-oriented study.

“It is a pie in the sky dream,” said Hug, who represents District 1 on the council. “There are no preliminary numbers. It is too vague and there are no financial numbers.”

In mid-May, the city hosted an open house where residents engaged in

discussions about the proposed plan. Following strong community interest and

feedback, the Joliet Plan Commission unanimously recommended adoption at its June meeting.

The public can stay informed by visiting the project website https://www.joliet.gov/etod.